1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for immunochromatography. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for immunochromatography having a case that houses a test strip for immunochromatography.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hitherto, numerous reports have been made on immunochromatography as a method for conducting tests easily by using antigen-antibody reaction (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,861,711, 5,602,040). The testing methods disclosed in these patent documents can reveal the absence or presence and the amount of an antigen by simply letting a collected specimen penetrate into a testing device containing an antibody corresponding to the target analyte substance (for example, antigen). These methods make use of a porous membrane such as nitrocellulose that contains a ligand (for example, specific antibody) corresponding to the target analyte substance at one end of the porous membrane and similarly contains, in a band-like manner, a different specific antibody that binds to a specific antigen which is the analyte substance in the middle of the porous membrane. The specific antibody contained at the one end is colored in advance. When a sample liquid is let to penetrate onto the one end of the porous membrane, if any antigen that reacts with the specific antibody is present in the sample liquid, the antigen binds with the specific antibody and moves along the porous membrane by capillary phenomenon towards the other end opposite to the side where the sample liquid has been let to penetrate, accompanied by the colored particles. At the time of passing through the site of the different specific antibody fixed in a band-like manner to the porous membrane during the movement, the antigen is captured by the specific antibody on the porous membrane, whereby a band-like stain appears on the porous membrane. This reveals the presence and the amount of the target antigen in the sample.
Regarding the technique of immunochromatography, numerous studies have been made and reported so as to make a good and facilitated detection of an analyte substance (Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications 2002-328129 and 2002-328130). However, these reports are on a test strip for immunochromatography testing, and are not on a device for immunochromatography including a testing case that houses a test strip.